


Teacup

by Cherrydragon26



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Gen, Post-Canon, The Jasmine Dragon (Avatar), it is canon compliant I guess???, not really - Freeform, original characters working as staff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-18
Updated: 2018-06-18
Packaged: 2019-05-24 18:37:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,113
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14959952
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cherrydragon26/pseuds/Cherrydragon26
Summary: Diu has a hard time and is trying to survive in Ba Sing Se. She doesn't have many happy memories, but the ones she has are precious to her. One of them is surely the stories her grandma told her about the tea shop Jasmine Dragon. For a long time, her only wish was to visit and try the tea. When she did, her life changed.





	Teacup

**Author's Note:**

> I got this idea, while I was drinking tea( appropriate isn't it?), and decided to roll with it. I tried to find it, but nowhere was it mentioned if Iroh employed extra pair of hands for his tea shop (except Zuko) , so I don't know if I should tag this as canon compliant or not. You chose how you view it yourself I guess?
> 
> I don't own the character of Iroh and the Avatar series, but I do own my characters

* * *

" _My dear child, I recommend that you go there one day and try the tea, it will change your life I tell you",_ exclaimed my grandma, looking at the distance with fondness. " _But, grandma I never even tried tea in my life! We usually only have money for water or some similar beverage. I don't know if I will even like it!",_ I shouted, not believing what she said one bit.

A drink to change my life? Who had heard of anything like that before. But she continued, looking offended at my words: " _You will see for yourself believe me. And also the owner is a really charming man! I think you will like him!"._ This was one of our normal topics and they always ended the same. With my grandma telling me stories about the people she met there, or the stories the owner told her, and they were always accompanied with her praises at the teas that were made there. I really loved her and because she was really insistent, I promised her that I will go there one day. Unfortunately she didn't survive to see it true, because she died at the age of eighty-two. I was eleven years old then. Soon after our father left us, and then it was just my mother and me, living in a small, cramped up apartment, in a dead-end street.

We were already in a pretty poor living situation, but then it was even worse. So I couldn't realize my promise to my grandma then, because it was a non-stop running, and trying to earn as much as possible, with as many jobs as I could. My mother was the same, and I am sure she would probably just scoff at the promise and say it is unnecessary and stupid. It's not that she didn't like her mother, she was just really practical and never was a dreamer like my dad.

He was a man who most of the time had his head in the clouds and would never come down, without a good reason. I still wonder, how they could have ever worked out, but after he left my mother, she rarely spoke of him and every time I asked my mother said that she didn't have time for conversations. So I stopped and didn't bring it up again. After that we started to get along even better, so I suppose that was a good decision. But it still existed in the back of my mind, and sometimes when I was all alone, I would remember that promise and I hoped that one day I will fulfill it.

 

That day came sooner than I expected. At the age of sixteen, my mother and I settled in a better apartment and had been living steadier lives than ever. Money was now not as sparse as it had been before, and we even had some free time. I was saving money from long ago, and decided that it was time. I asked around for more information, and what my friends told me wasn't discouraging. On the anniversary of my grandmas death, I visited her grave and told her, that I could finally fulfill my promise that I gave her long ago.

That day it was sunny, not a cloud in the sky, I was slowly strolling the town, humming some unknown melody. When I arrived to the tea shop, it was evening, and there wasn't a lot of customers. Picking a seat, I looked around, and noticed that it really was a comfortable atmosphere and that everyone else also felt that and enjoyed it. So I decided that even if I didn't like this tea, I will surely come here to relax and unwind sometimes. If there was a better place to do it than this, I didn't know of it.

An old man approached me and asked me what would I like to get. " _Whatever you propose, I never tried tea, before so I wouldn't know!"_ , I said giving him a bright smile. But then he gasped and his eyes widened in disbelief. " _You never tried tea! What kind of life did you live until now, I wonder!",_ he looked really worried for me and my well being, and for some reason that was really funny for me. " _Don't worry, I am fine. That is precisely the reason I came here. I had someone, who really loved tea a lot, and she always told me I should visit this place to try it. Until now, I really couldn't. But now I can so here I am!",_ he smiled at me, and like he understood perfectly he slightly touched my hand and nodded.

" _I see. Then I will give you my best tea!",_ he said and pointed his finger to the sky, like he was making a declaration to the universe. I giggled and thanked him. He walked away and I waited, feeling excited and happy. He soon came back and put the tea in front of me, winking and saying: " _Tea on the house"._ I looked at him and then at the tea and shouted: " _Please, don't. Believe me I have money! I wouldn't have come otherwise....",_ but he didn't let me finish my sentence as he put his finger on my mouth and laughed. " _Please don't worry. It's not a big deal. If it makes you feel better, I can get you a cake and you can pay for it. Is that a deal?",_ he asked me, quirking his eyebrow up as he looked mildly amused by my reaction. I sighed and nodded, extending my hand: " _It's a deal"._ He shook hands with me and grinned, turning away and going over to thr counter to bring me cake.

I sat down and sighed again, taking the teacup in my hand and smelling the tea. It smelled of fresh grass and chamomile and it's color was green. Tea was sure a peculiar thing, I thought feeling amused and I sipped. My eyes widened and I couldn't describe my emotions at that moment. What my grandma said to me came back in my mind, and I must say I now understand what she meant. Reluctantly I accepted that what she said was right. Tasting tea did change me and I think, I could say that it even changed my life. From that moment on I knew what I was going to do in my life. The old man came back, while I was drinking and looked me over, while a big smile appeared on his face. " _Is it any good?",_ he put the cake on the table and waited for me to finish drinking my tea." _Perfect",_ I answered and he had swayed away looking satisfied. I was glad I came here. The atmosphere is good, the owner looks nice and the tea..... The tea is everything I needed in my life and more. After putting my money on the table, I stood up and started going to the exit. Before I have gone through it, I looked back and saw him looking at me. I waved and smiled. He waved back and shouted:" _Please visit us again!"._ I will, was the only thing I thought as I turned left, going back the way I came.

* * *

After that I decided to open my own tea shop. But first I had to learn all about tea. That is what occupied my free time mostly as I was finding and losing myself in the streets of Ba Sing Se, looking for a new type of tea or a teapot. My mother thought that my obsession with tea was funny, but when she found out how serious I was about it, she supported me all the way." _At least you have some kind of plan for the future. I can respect that, unlike your father!",_ was mostly what I got, when I asked her about it.

Then everything changed at the age of eighteen. I found out that Iroh ( the owner of the Jasmine Dragon, as I had later found out), was looking for someone to work with him at the shop. And even if I don't get employed, I had to at least try. I quit my current job and went to the shop,arriving especially early. I found him, sitting on a chair in front of the shop, drinking tea and enjoying the view.

Iroh:" _How may I help young lady?"_

Diu: _"I came to apply for the job. You know, I came for the interview"_

Iroh:" _I see, alright then sit beside me, on this pillow",_ he said and showed me with his hand. We sat in silence for some time until he asked: " _Why do you want this job?"._

Diu:" _Well, the first reason is because I really like tea. It's flavor, it's smell, the way it's made, everything about it. The other reason is because I found out how good tea is, right here in this tea shop! My grandma always told me that I should try tea, because it will change my life, but I didn't believe her. What kind of drink should tea be, to change my whole life, was what I thought and I couldn't even comprehend it. It sounded preposterous! However, when I came to this tea shop I had a revelation. A reincarnation, one can even say! And then and only then, did I fully understand what my grandma had said to me. And right here, in this tea shop, was also when I decided, what will I do for the rest of my life! I am going to open my own tea shop! That is the third reason, why I want to work here. You know to acquire knowledge, get enough experience and skill, to maybe one day open my own tea shop! It doesn't really have to be in Ba Sing Se or anywhere in the Earth kingdom. It can be even on the North Pole, as long as I get to make tea for people who like it and make them happy. As tea, makes me happy."._

 _  
_ After I finished my monologue, we sat in silence for some time, until he drank all his tea. He put the teacup down, looked at me and smiled, giving me some kind of paper. " _Congratulations! You're hired! Come back, here at Monday at six o'clock sharp",_ he told me, while I tried not to faint from sheer surprise and happiness I felt. I thanked him a thousand times, while he just looked at me fondly and nodded.

When I came back home I told my mother the news, and she was really happy for me. When I was finally alone, I investigated the paper that he gave me.  It was a job application paper and I needed to write my information. So I did and wondered how will my working days at the Jasmine Dragon look like.

* * *

I woke up early and was preparing to go to my first day of work in the Jasmine dragon. I was very nervous and excited about it, as I was waiting for Iroh to give me something to do. Before he opened the shop and I started working, he introduced me to two new employees alongside me, who he hired.

" _My name is Lienna Hisano. Nice to meet you, I hope we get along!",_ said to me a young girl, probably my age. She was the tallest of us three and had beautiful blond hair in which was a buckle that looked like a lotus flower. She had dark blue eyes, that matched her blue dress and for some reason had a white silk umbrella with her. I was a little intimidated by her, but I still managed to introduce myself and I also said that it was a pleasure to meet her.

The other employee was Jun a boy, with messy black hair, that had a worn out shirt and pants, that lost color a long time ago. He was taller than me, but shorter than Lienna and he had brown eyes that pierced through me, like a knife. I was intimidated by him, for a different reason than Lienna, but I felt like I would probably get along with him.

And that is how my first day at the Jasmine dragon started. The worst parts of the day were morning and noon, when the most customers arrived and they were a lot of people waiting to be served. I was running around all the time, getting orders, preparing teas and generally just feeling lost and very, very confused about what I should do. Lienna had really impressed me ( and Iroh too), as she solved every problem with excellence and elegance. Apparently she had the most experience, between us three. Jun seemed like he had everything under control, but then he would screw something up. Still unlike me, that started panicking every time I did something wrong, he worked out everything with calmness and aloofness, I wished I had. But between us three, we somehow made it work. And Iroh was always there to support us and encourage us to do even better. The day ended and I was exhausted and just wanted to go home and sleep. When I finished packing and I took off my uniform I said goodbye to Lienna, Jun and Iroh and went home.

 

After a month or so, we got into a routine and we all knew what to do. I needed the most time to adjust, not because I didn't have experience ( because I did work in cafes and restaurant before), but because I tried to do everything perfectly, and then I would always do something wrong and screw it up. Jun was always there to support me and calm me down, while Lienna was usually making fun of me because of it. And she always tried to show me the right way how to do it, but I wasn't a fast learner as she was, so she usually lost patience with me and gave up.

Iroh was of course full of support and every time I asked him anything he always tried to explain me everything as best as he could and even as he reprimanded me, he never lost his temper and was always kind. The work at Jasmine Dragon was hard, but fulfilling nevertheless. Iroh always told stories about his nephew Zuko, about the Avatar, about the war with the Fire Nation, he could talk all day about it and I could never get bored. Lienna and Jun never looked as interested as I was, but they always listened without complain ( Lienna was complaining about it, usually after he left us to do our work).

And every time they visited his tea shop, he always insisted that he should ask about what they wanted to order. Then they would get into a deep and long conversation, that usually lasted for an hour, and after that he had a big smile plastered all over his face for a whole day, sometimes even a week. The three of them never understood how could he always be so calm, even with the worst of customers, even when one of them did something completely stupid, he never raised his voice and never looked angry.

One day I broke his teacup. Although it wasn't just any teacup. It was the most important one,the one that he protected as his own child and drank from it a lot. Every year there was a day, he decided to drink from it for a whole day, and he always closed his shop early then and gave them a free evening. None of them was brave enough to ask why, even though they did throw around many theories that could have been true, but probably weren't.

That day I wasn't feeling so well, for some reason, so I was really careful with everything fragile. I was washing the dishes and had just grabbed the cup in my hand, when suddenly the door banged and Lienna ran in furiously. I jumped up from surprise and let out the cup that was in my hand. While I watched it fall, Lienna arrived near me and started complaining about how her new boyfriend dumped her and what an ass he really was. " _Are you even listening to me Diu? This is really important!",_ she shouted at me, but I couldn't answer anything, as I was just staring at the floor wide-eyed and trembled. She followed my gaze, and when she saw what I was looking at, she silenced and completely froze. At that moment we both understood we fucked up badly and were just trying to think of a way out of this situation.

Jun entered the kitchen and shouted:" _Hey, you two where are you? Iroh is looking for you!"._ Lienna almost teleported to him, telling him to slow Iroh down, so we could figure out a solution, but before he could Iroh entered the room. Dead silence spread around, and Iroh was confused for a moment." _What seems to be the problem?",_ he asked, looking at each and everyone one of us. My eyes trailed off to the spot where the cup broke, Iroh caught  that look and circled around to see what was I looking at.

I thought right then he was going to snap, and we will see the full fury of his anger. But, he didn't do any of that. He didn't yell, didn't scream, didn't curse, nothing. He just looked very sad and broken down. Like the years have caught up to him and he could not fight them anymore. He asked us if anyone was hurt, and when we negated he just nodded, took the pieces of the cup that left and got out of the kitchen, without another word.

I felt so horrible, I didn't know what to do but cry. Jun came near me and hugged me, while Lienna just clenched her fist and her mouth turned into a thin line. I would have felt better if he had actually shouted at me, I thought and just continued crying a waterfall, while Jun hugged me tighter. After I had finished with work, I climbed up the stairs into Iroh's apartment, wanting to apologize. When I told him everything I wanted he just nodded and stared in nothing at particular in silence.

" _You know that teacup belonged to my son. There only exists just one more like that in the whole world. Now I will have to find a new teacup to drink from on the anniversary of my son's death",_ he told me and I almost started to cry again, but somehow succeded not to. " _I am so sorry! We are so sorry!',_ I repeated for the tenth time, and he just shrugged it off with a hand and said, with a sad smile: " _It's fine, accidents happen. As long as no one is hurt that is good. I am not angry, just don't let it happen again!",_ Iroh said." _I won't, I promise!",_ I shouted and ran out, because I felt tears on my face.

That night I didn't sleep and the night after that and the night after that. Even though I had started to sleep while working, I still came every day and stayed until I needed to. I was barely working, but I couldn't stop now and didn't want to. Lienna demanded that I get a week off and sleep, but I didn't let her change my mind. Jun also tried to make me sleep, but I started to avoid both of them and continued to work. Only when Iroh himself came to visit me and asked of me to take a break and try to sleep, did I give in and went to my home to sleep. At first there wasn't any success, until I remembered what had Iroh told me before he signed my permission for a vacation ( that mostly he filled out, because I was too tired to read):" _You can work yourself to death now, or you can work yourself to death when you have your own tea shop. Your choice"._ After I repeated that like a mantra I succeded in falling asleep, and soon I came back to work well rested and ready for a new day!

* * *

One time we had a really serious fight, that almost grew into something worse. One evening, when Iroh let us go home earlier, we decided to spend some time together at a nearby cafe and talk. Well, if we are being honest most of the talking was done by Lienna, because we just couldn't jump in into the conversation. She could ramble on about anything for hours, never letting anyone else have a say in anything, but Jun and me, got used to it, and didn't really mind much. Nowadays she even tries sometimes to get us into the conversation, and if nothing else I appreciate it.

Jun was a really silent type of guy anyway, so I don't really know if he minded it much. Lienna was bragging about her new boyfriend, that she acquired two weeks ago, after she broke up with Hakaku. Or Haku, there were so many, I stopped trying to remember names. After she finished gushing about him, she jumped to her other favorite topic to talk about, and that is Jasmine Dragon or more accurately Iroh.

Lienna:" _He repeated that story for like a hundred time. How doesn't he get bored of it! I know I do! What do yo think about it Diu?"_

Diu:" _I don't know. I don't mind it at all. And it's not like the story is always the same, he adds new details all the time. You know like how he found his Pai Sho tile in his pocket or how Katara learned blood bending. And you would have heard it, if you were actually listening"  
_

Lienna:" _Wha? Did you just accuse me of not listening to the ramblings of an old man? If I listened to everything he said, I would have gone bald, years ago!"  
_

Diu:" _What do you mean by that? Iroh is a fun, kind and wise old man, who can offer you plenty of wisdom"  
_

Lienna:" _Yeah, sure like that "revolutionary" idea of putting tapioca into tea and mixing it with other ingredients! Who even comes up with ideas  like that! It doesn't even taste good!"  
_

Diu:" _Don't be like that. He didn't say we should put it on the menu just yet. And I didn't really like it either, but someone else maybe will! If you ask me I think we should give a couple of samples to our customers and see how it goes. I think trying new stuff and improving the market is always good!"  
_

Lienna:" _Are you actually serious? That thing is an abomination! No one will drink it, even less buy it! It is sacrilege, it ruins the name of the tea! And believe me I know, I have been around tea, since I was born. My family are famous tea makers and sellers around the world. And believe me when I say that no one will buy that thing!"  
_

Jun:" _I would buy it. I actually liked it's flavor. It is something unique and interesting"  
_

Diu:" _You see, Jun agrees with me! I think we should try it out and see how it goes!"  
_

Lienna:" _Absolutely not! He is just weird enough to like that sort of thing! I am the daughter of the Hisano, and I say we don't ever mention it again"  
_

Diu:" _It's not your decision to make. It's not your tea shop!"  
_

Lienna:" _How do you know it's not? Maybe I bribed that old geezer and he gave me the tea shop? He is too old anyway to know the difference, between reality and a dream".  
_

That is when I broke and I punched her in the face. She punched me back and it would have excelerated into something worse, if Jun hadn't interfered.

" _First you insult his stories, then his idea and then Iroh himself! And not just that you insult Jun and you insult my intelligence, how dare you!",_ I wanted to finish the fight and she did too, but Jun dragged me out of the cafe and we went back to my apartment.

After I cooled down I thanked Jun for interfering, because I knew I would probably regret it later. He just nodded and turned around, without a word. He really is a really silent guy, I concluded and got inside.

Tomorrow Iroh called me into his office, and reprimanded me for my behavior in the cafe. How he found out I didn't ask, but I suppose Jun told him. I apologized and told him I will never do it again, as long as Lienna doesn't test me. He hurried me away and told me to call Lienna.  I can't imagine at all, what he told her, but after that conversation she never complained again, to us or to anyone else. She stopped being snobby and became nicer to everyone. Especially to Iroh, Jun and me. And that is how our biggest fight ended, and nothing like that ever happened again.

* * *

While I was still working at the Jasmine Dragon, I was also looking out for some places that I could maybe purchase and open my own tea shop. Iroh offered to help, but I refused, because I wanted to find it by myself. Weeks, months, years passed until I found the perfect place and with vigor came to Iroh to tell him. He was happy for me, but I could see it in his eyes, that he was also very sad I was going away. Jun and Lienna were too, but I explained to them that this is my dream and I am not going to abandon it, when I am so close to fulfilling it.

I had said goodbye to everyone and started from scratch like I did once before. It was hard work, and nothing ever came easy for me. But not a moment was dull, and I enjoyed it fully, every minute of it. I named my tea shop Earth Dragon. Of course, I had asked Iroh first, as we have been writing each other letters from the beginning.

There was also one more thing I had never forgotten and tried to find for a long time. The other teacup, Iroh told me about. I have crossed miles and miles in search of it, always coming close, but never close enough. At the market that I visited every year, I saw it one day and ran towards it like a madman. " _How much is this teacup?",_ I asked prepared to give all my fortune for it. " _Well, for you lady, we can bargain for a much better price!",_ said a man that gave me a toothy grin and laughed. In the end it came out much cheaper than I thought, and I was jumping from joy. With so much positive energy it made my tea shop even better and the place was becoming more popular than I thought. Of course I didn't mention anything to Iroh about the teacup, because I wanted to surprise him, when I come to visit him again in Ba Sing Se.

                                                                                                               

* * *

 

It was a nice day,a perfect day for visits I hoped. I was going to visit my friend after so long. I wonder how he looks like. Climbing to the Jasmine Dragon, I was reminded of all the nice times I had here, even a couple of bad ones. This tea shop, really felt like my second house. After my mother died, it was all that had left for me to return to.

My mother wanted a small funeral and she got one. Only her closest friends came and we parted with her with respect. I saw my father that day for the first time after so many years. He constantly tried to apologize for everything, but I told him it was useless, it had passed. He made his decisions, we made ours. He complimented me on how I have grown up, but I didn't feel happy because of that. He also introduced me to his new wife, which I suppose is my mother-in-law now, but I wasn't even mildly interested to see her. He told me I could live with them now, but I refused. He couldn't understand why." _I have my own life now. And it is here",_ I told him, and he decided to respect it.

We had stayed in contact, but I never really saw him as my father. I have always though of Iroh as a father in a way, or at least my father figure. So when I stumbled upon him in the tea shop, washing dishes and humming some tune, I was really happy.

Diu:" _Iroh, I am so glad to see you! Are you well? Are you healthy?"_

Iroh:" _Yes, I am. And I am glad to see you too. What brings you here to this old man?"  
_

Diu:" _I just wanted to visit you, with no big purpose in mind. And I also wanted to tell you everything about my tea shop",  
_ I told him about all the problems I had, all accomplishment I did, everything about my life until this moment. I have left the best part for last.

" _And also I wanted to say I have found it"_

Iroh:" _Found what?"_

I put the teacup on the table, and he had looked at it in silence for a couple of minutes. He scooped it up in his hands and scanned it very carefully.

" _I don't believe it, it's the real one!"_

_Diu:"Of course it is!"  
_

He hugged me and had tears in his eyes, but didn't cry. " _You know I always thought of you as my successor"._

Diu:"I _know"_

Iroh:" _Do you maybe wanna stay here with me?"  
_

Diu:" _No, sorry maybe next time. I have to visit one more person before I go back. My tea shop needs me you know",  
_ he nodded with acknowledgment and hugged me again.

Iroh:" _See you soon!",_ he said and I laughed and answered: " _I hope so!"._

I climbed up until I arrived to my grandma's grave and sat on the grass. I listened to the sound of the wind and the birds, until I said, with a small smile on my face:" _Hey, grandma. You know, you were right. When I drank the tea in the Jasmine Dragon, my life really did change"._

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> Diu- Chinese: One who is down to Earth and is practical person  
> Jun- Chinese: Truth; Japanese - Obedient; Latin - Younger; Young Child  
> Lienna- Chinese: A beauty and grace of a Lotus flower  
> Hisano- Japanese: Long Lasting; Everlasting; From a long story; Open Plain; A variant of Hisa  
> Hakaku- Japanese: White Crane  
> Haku- White, Older brother (Japanese) lord, overseer in Hawai


End file.
